Buckets of belief should take series

Kane Williamson has the ability to step up in the big moments. Photo / Getty Images

A few things surprise me but hearing that Kane Williamson was 92 not out yesterday morning was not one of them.

Williamson lives and breathes cricket and understands moments of significance. A test at Lord's is one such occasion and the fact is he is good enough to seize such moments.

All players know the big moments but it's the great players who are energised by them. At the time of writing, Williamson still had eight runs to achieve what I'd imagine is a non-negotiable for him and his resume, a century at Lord's. I would have bet my house on him getting those last night.

It's the very special player who performs in the big moments. Martin Crowe and Sir Richard Hadlee understood what it took, and so did Chris Cairns and Shane Bond.

Dion Nash and Stephen Fleming flirted around the edges as well.

This is the reason I believe so much in this current team. Never before have we had so many of these players in the team at once.

Along with Williamson there is Brendon McCullum, Trent Boult and I'm going to throw the new lad in there, too, Matt Henry.

The World Cup final will be a scar for these players but, if they get back on that stage in four years, they will win it.

For now, though, they have a series to win in England and that would be of great significance to the New Zealand cricket fraternity.

If they achieve this, I would suggest the players I've mentioned will have played major hands.

I rate these players highly because they rate themselves. Is it arrogance they have? No. Is it confidence? Not entirely. What they have in bucket loads is belief.

You have to feed belief and these guys are hungry. McCullum may have been late for this tour - and who can really blame him with the IPL on - but he will know what happened with Fleming's team in 1999 and will badly want to win an England series for himself. Not only that, but he will also want to be a major contributor with the bat along the way.

McCullum has hinted at his ability to front in the big moments with near centuries at Lord's and also his stunning IPL debut.

Now, finally, his belief that his own approach is the best for him means he should be considered one of our greatest.

Boult oozes self-belief and this is what allows him to stand up. We desperately needed someone to knock the tail over quickly early on day two and Boult was the man.

It's a big call for me to heap such praise on Henry so early but what I see in him is not the same self-belief that Boult and McCullum carry. What I see is the technical skill combined with a clear head. He seems so grounded and sensible.

Pressure and anxiety erode skill like nothing else but Henry seems able to counter this with calmness.

There's no doubts our bowling ace is our opening combination of Boult and Tim Southee but they can't do it alone and a top third seamer in slow English conditions is vital for success.

• Mark Richardson is a host on Radio Sport.